RE: Yahoo has no staff tech writers

[Jeff Hanvey <jeff -at- jewahe -dot- net>]

BTW, that list was *not* supposed to be an ordered list. 

But let me clarify one thing: our field has only begun to reach maturity in the last 15-20 years or so (paralleling the rise of the PC and Internet). During the "early years" (and yes, I realize the field spans a lot longer than what I'm saying here), companies were desperate for anyone who could write - they simply didn't care whether or not that writer knew the technology. For one, the technology was still relatively new and required specific training that just wasn't readily available.

So people who could write were hired to churn out content. These were often English majors who were trained to worry about grammar. And since many were out of their league with the technology, they focused on what they knew.

That was the learning period. And yes, that's why there are so many incompetent writers out there: a model has been developed that just didn't work: companies weren't getting what they needed, subject matter experts were frustrated because they couldn't communicate with writers, and tech writers were given a bad name. However, people were (and still are) hired simply because they can write.

However, the model is changing. Companies realize the need for specific knowledge, and are looking for it. We are now in the weeding stage, in which the clear incompetents will be forced to leave the field. As this happens, SME's will wake up to the value of tech writers and the wage potential, along with job opportunities) will increase.

Of course, there will always be incompetents. Check out other fields that have been around a lot longer.

Jeff

>> The reality of technical writing is threefold:
>> 
>> 1. Technical knowledge (but not necessarily technical mastery)
>> 2. Tools knowledge
>> 3. Writing ability
>
>I disagree:
>
>1. Problem solving ability.
>2. Technical ability (to achieve near-mastery).
>3. Writing ability.
>4. Tools ability.
>
>Tech knowledge, tools knowledge, and writing ability all will fail unless
>you know how to weild them appropriately.


_____________________________________________________________
Jeff Hanvey: http://www.jewahe.net

_____________________________________________________________
Select your own custom email address for FREE! Get you -at- yourchoice -dot- com w/No Ads, 6MB, POP & more! http://www.everyone.net/selectmail?campaign=tag


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
All-new RoboHelp X3 is now shipping! Get single sourcing, print-quality
documentation, conditional text and much more, in the most monumental
release ever. Save $100! Order online at http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

Buy ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 6.0, the most powerful SINGLE SOURCE HELP
AUTHORING TOOL for MS Word. SAVE $100 on the full version and $50 on the
upgrade.  Offer ends 10/31/2002 (code: DTH102250).
http://www.componentone.com/d2hlist1002

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.